“Come on.”
We go back inside and tell Mrs.Ford we’re leaving. She’sstanding in the kitchen keeping a watchful eye as tween feeding time unfolds.
“Your dad got the inflatable all set up,” Mrs.Ford says as this girl Mazie runs up and asks for more pizza. Mrs.Ford fills her plate and then turns back to Saylor. I don’t miss the annoyed look that quickly passes over Mrs.Ford’s face.
“All the hard stuff is done and they’re twelve, not six. You don’t need us,” Saylor says.
“I told Maurene she could have the night off.”
“Okay, well, we are also not six. We’re just gonna go back to Heaven’s and watch a movie.” Saylor has a point, but I’m thinking about setting my hair on fire if it’ll stop this conversation from going the way it’s going.
“Fine, Saylor.” Mrs.Ford turns her smile back on and looks at me. “Make sure you get a cupcake, a goodie bag, and a shirt. Thank you again.”
“Thank you. I had fun.”
“See, Saylor? She had fun.”
Saylor rolls her eyes and grabs my hand. We go up to her room so I can grab my duffel and she can pack up some overnight clothes. I feel not great. I kind of want to stay because again we are always at my house, but I don’t want Saylor to be upset, and I definitely do not want to be in the middle of more of whateverthatwas down in the kitchen. I have a fleeting thought of how lucky I am that my parents and I don’t argue like that, but the thought is gone as soon as I hear Saylor’s voice.
“I just gotta grab my toothbrush. And then we can go make out.” She whispers the last part.
“Okay, yeah, we can definitely go back to my house.”
Saylor laughs and swings around the corner. I took a few pictures from the day and start looking through which ones I should post on my Instagram.
“Are you guys leaving?” I hear suddenly. I look up and see Stella, I think—I actually can’t tell them apart—and this girl Caralynn are standing in the hallway. They both have kitties sunbathing on their arms.
“Uh—”
“Yes, Stink. We’re leaving. Go back to your party,” Saylor says, pushing her way back into her room, all her bathroom stuff in hand.
“But we want Heaven to stay,” Caralynn says.
“Yeah, Heaven’s actually cool. Unlike some people,” maybe-Stella says as two more tweens appear in the hallway.
“Well, she’s actually my friend. And she’s not spending the rest of the night hanging out with you. Go back to your party, Stel!”
Definitely-Stella huffs but turns and leads the other girls back down the hall.
“We should go before they recruit more minions and try to block the front door.”
“Right.” I grab my stuff and make sure Saylor’s good carrying all her things with one good hand, and we head out to my car without anyone trying to barricade us inside.
Halfway back to my house, I realize I’m a little jittery. Drawing like that for hours was a lot. Seeing Saylor argue with her mom and her sister was a little out of my elementtoo. I’m not sure why, because I’ve been around for plenty of Jake’s and Axel’s fights with their sisters. Esther’s made a living out of annoying the heck out of Jake. Maybe because those times, it had nothing to do with me. I file those no fun thoughts away and try to focus on what Saylor and I are going to do tonight.
“Hey, are you okay?” Saylor asks.
“Yeah, just my social battery is at like a negative seventy-five. I guess it’s smart we left. I would have crashed in an hour.”
“I didn’t mean to make that about me back there,” Saylor replies. “I know this was a big day for you.”
“No, it’s okay. I mean when I’m actually tattooing, I won’t be tattooing that many people at once. And there won’t be cameras and a DJ, at least I don’t think.”
“Yeah, I think actual tattooing is a little more chill and less loud.” Saylor laughs.
“It was a good learning experience. It was just a lot. Just a bit overstimulating.”
“Well, we can keep it low-key tonight. Here, why don’t we knock out another bingo box so at least my mom can stop guilting me about leaving.”